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M2 IMC Report

Just getting back in the office, so a quick summation of my 2005 IM Canada experience. Somewhat more detailed to follow.

Overall Status :
Happy, pleased with a solid swim, strong bike, disappointed that run did not measure up. Convinced that I can still put together a complete race.

Conditions:
Swim : Perfect.
Bike: Good conditons.
Run: Extremely difficult. A relentless and boring headwind for the first 13.1 miles. Later finishers saw this same wind cruelly reverse directions. It was also pretty hot, but as all will attest, the extreme wind made for very ugly conditions.

Swim
54 minutes. Very easy effort.
Pros started 15min ahead of the rest of the field, which makes for less chaotic swim start, but fewer fast feet to ride. 1300m to the first buoy on the same swimmer's feet, the entire rest on another swimmer. In short, a fairly respectable time, but most notable was how easy the effort was.

Bike
4hr45min. Very pleased.
Strong ride throughout, didn't tire appreciably and although happy to get off the hard seat, another 10miles would not have been a chore.

A tactical error at the base of Richter cost me several minutes and what would have been an easier ride. I was too conservative and let 3 strong riders get away on the climb and who would pace themselves (legally) the remainder of the ride. I should have bit the bullet and stayed with them on the climb in retrospect.

Silver lining is that I rode the last 80km entirely solo and was able to stay on a hard pace throughout. Good to have the bike mojo back.

Run
3hr26min. Ugly. Painful. Slow.
Training hindered past 2.5 months by annoying foot problem, but still thought I would run fairly strong. Running into headwind, had to stop several times to stretch out hip. As bad as my sensations were on the way out, didn't really lose that much time. Everyone was running ugly in a fierce headwind.

Really cratered the last 6 miles. Walked aid stations mistakenly thinking I was in 8th place and noboby near me. Two guys passed me with about a mile running strong, and I had nothing. Held off another runner the last kilometer to preserve my 10th place, but had been mistaken in my 8th place assumption---had been running in 10th place.

Oh well, not a big deal so much as annoying, but the fact is that I really suffered those last 6 miles.

Nutrition
Pre-race: Champion Nutrition Endurance formula mixed with OJ.
Bike: 2 Bottles of Endurance Formula with a banana blended in each. 2 bottles of Champion Nutrition Revenge Sport with banana blended in. 1 banana from an aid station. 1/2 of a fruit bar. One bottle of Coke. One bottle of Gatorade just to try a new flavor. Run: Coke and water.

Summary :
Maintained an even energy level throughout---no lows or tough spots from an energy perspective.
See M2 articles on Fueling.